Blog:Why change is an industry constant

David Birnbaum raises some interesting questions in his latest analysis of the garment trade. What happens if the recession lasts for another year or even two? he asks. What happens if, as some economists are now predicting, the end of the recession does not bring rising employment? What happens if the recession ends but the consumer does not return to that mass frenzy of T-shirt consumption that we have grown accustomed to?

And what happens if the problem is not the recession but rather a major long-term shift in the market?

The answer, of course, is far from clear-cut. But what is apparent is that those countries and companies who embrace change and see it as an opportunity instead of a threat are the ones most likely to succeed. And the chances are, they’ve already been doing this for decades.

Surviving in a declining market is the biggest challenge for discount/mass-market retailers and suppliers of commodity products such as basic T-shirts, hoodies or cotton men's shirts – which is why it...